In Vivo Biofilm Accumulation on Implants With 3 Different Surfaces

The aim of this in vivo study is to evaluate potential differences in terms of plaque accumulation among 3 different implant surfaces (i.e., turned, modified, and modified treated with implantoplasty).

Splint fabrication At the first visit, a maxillary alginate impression and a gypsum cast will be produced for every participant. This cast will be used to build a removable vacuum splint, which in turn will allow to carry six implants during the study period (i.e., 2 implants of each group T, M, I). Both on the right- and left-buccal aspects of the cast, three implants (i.e., 1 implant of each group T, M, I) will be randomly allocated and secured in their position prior to making the vacuum splint. The splint will be individually trimmed and polished to provide both retention and comfort.

At the second visit, splints will be tried and, if necessary, adjusted to avoid any discomfort. Participants will be instructed in detail on how to wear and handle the splint.

At the third visit, splints will be collected and stored for analyses.

Sample size calculation The only previous study with a similar study design (Azzola et al., 2020) included only a single participant. Based on the presented data of this specific study and due to the large difference between the test and control group, a reasonable sample size calculation was not feasible. Thus, a sample size of 10 participants was arbitrarily chosen for the present study.